As they say mathematics is all around us. Therefore it should come as no surprise that you might be wearing some! This talk will be a light-hearted look at the ways in which clothing can epitomise various mathematical topics. From the humble t-shirt to the elaborate draping of a sari, we will explore some of the more abstract properties of outfits from around the world.

Ms Elizabeth Chesney: Knuts about Knitting Knots

Speaker: Ms Elizabeth ChesneyAffiliation: University of Canterbury

Knots have been used for thousands of years, with the earliest examples found dating back to prehistoric times. Besides their obvious function of tying objects together, they have been used for everything from recording information, to decoration and spiritual symbolism. Mathematicians are interested in knots for other reasons and study properties of knots related to their geometry in an area of mathematics known as knot theory. In this talk we’ll reveal some of the beauty and complexity of this subject using some simple knitted knots. We’ll see that while knitting is not knotting, we can certainly knit our way into knot theory!

Burkard Polster: What is the best way to lace your shoes?

Speaker: Burkard PolsterAffiliation: Monash University

What is the best way to lace your shoes? All the mysteries of shoelaces finally revealed! Find out about the shortest, strongest and silliest ways to lace your shoes, why your shoelaces come undone all the time and what all this has to do with mathematics, monkeys and salesmen. Don't miss this introduction to the secret life of shoelaces by the world's leading shoelace charmer.

Inherent in a single piece of paper is a world of beauty and mathematics. The ancient paper folding art of origami has in recent decades seen an artistic and mathematical renaissance. From simple cranes and star puffs to complex tessellations and dragons, a survey of different areas of mathematics is needed to understand the folding properties of each model. The talk will walk through well known as well as new results in folding algorithms, origami software, and deep but beautiful mathematics, and along the way we will be discussing the impact this understanding has had on the art itself.

Bernd Krauskopf and Hinke Osinga: Chaos in Crochet and Steel

Speakers: Bernd Krauskopf and Hinke OsingaAffiliation: University of Auckland

Bernd Krauskopf and Hinke Osinga are both Professors in Applied Mathematics at the University of Auckland, and they study how chaotic behaviour arises and can be explained mathematically. Their research led them into unexpected directions of craft and art when they realised that they could turn their computer-generated images of the famous chaotic Lorenz weather model into a concrete model via crochet. The so-called Lorenz manifold embodies the underlying unpredictability in an intriguing and hands-on way. At over 25,000 stitches, the crocheted piece is about a metre wide and has been the subject of considerable media attention world wide. The amazing mathematical properties of the Lorenz manifold also caught the attention of artist Benjamin Storch, who turned it into a steel sculpture. Hinke and Bernd will highlight some of the underlying geometry and their journey from maths into craft and art.

Professor Graham Farr: Making Links and Breaking Codes: The Mathematics of Bill Tutte

William (Bill) Tutte (1917-2002) became a research mathematician while still an undergraduate at Cambridge in the late 1930s, broke the toughest Nazi codes while at Bletchley Park in the Second World War, and became one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century. His wartime work sparked the secret construction of Colossus, one of the first-ever computers, and saved countless lives. After the war, he led the development of the mathematics of networks, known as Graph Theory. His work was usually inspired by pure curiosity or entertaining puzzles, but has been applied in domains as diverse as electrical circuits, statistical physics and information visualisation. This talk tells the story of Tutte's life and mathematics, drawing inspiration for craft projects on the way.

(Photo from www.metronews.ca)

Dr Patrick O'Sullivan: The Measure of All Things: Myths, Maths and Other Aspects of Greek Art

Speaker: Dr Patrick O'SullivanAffiliation: University of Canterbury

This illustrated talk focuses on how the Greeks incorporated numbers, ratios and proportions into their poetry, architecture and visual arts: from Homer’s great epic poem on Troy, the Iliad, to iconic buildings such as the Parthenon and sculpture from the ‘High Classical’ period (c. 450-400 BC). But the Greeks also constantly altered and extended such formulas to enhance the emotional and psychological impact of their art and poetry: humanity, no less than maths, was the measure. Examples of Greek artworks from the Logie Collection in the Teece Museum, which embody some of these concepts and how they engage the viewer, will also feature in this talk.